Transit-Oriented Development

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is compact, mixed-use development near transit facilities and high-quality walking environments. The TCRP Report 102 study (PDF) concludes that the typical TOD leverages transit infrastructure to promote economic development and smart growth, and to cater to shifting market demands and lifestyle preferences.

TOD is about creating sustainable communities where people of all ages and incomes have transportation and housing choices, increasing location efficiency where people can walk, bike and take transit. In addition, TOD boosts transit ridership and reduces automobile congestion, providing value for both the public and private sectors, while creating a sense of community and place.

Benefits of TOD

According to the TCRP Report 102 study (PDF), the potential benefits of TOD are social, environmental, and fiscal. Focusing growth around transit stations capitalizes on expensive public investments in transit by producing local and regional benefits.

The most direct benefit of TOD is increased ridership and the associated revenue gains.

Other primary benefits include the vitalization of neighborhoods, financial gains for joint development opportunities, increases in the supply of affordable housing, and profits to those who own land and businesses near transit stops.

Secondary benefits include congestion relief, land conservation, reduced outlays for roads, and improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity and Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new National Public Transportation/TOD Technical Assistance Initiative, which supports the Ladders of Opportunity initiative of the President and the Secretary of Transportation by providing technical assistance for transit-oriented development activities around public transportation stations, including technical assistance to economically distressed communities across the country. FTA has budgeted up to $4,000,000 over a four-year period and seeks proposals that will demonstrate the ability to organize a technical assistance team with practical expertise in a range of disciplines including public transportation, transit-oriented development, land use, urban planning, affordable housing, environmental justice and community-based economic development.

The Pilot Program for TOD Planning helps support FTA’s mission of improving public transportation for America’s communities by providing funding to local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning with a transit capital investment that will seek funding through the Capital Investment Grant Program (CIG) Program. Comprehensive planning funded through the program must examine ways to improve economic development and ridership, foster multimodal connectivity and accessibility, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, engage the private sector, identify infrastructure needs, and enable mixed-use development near transit stations.

This toolkit of practical and innovative measures helps Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), regional planners, transit agencies, and local government elected officials, staff, land use planners, and transit planners integrate transit planning with local land use planning.

Although transit-oriented development and joint development are not discrete programs of the U.S. Department of Transportation, FTA grantees may use FTA financial assistance for joint development activities that incorporate private investment or enhance economic development.

This list of training and resources includes FTA funded webinars, online tools, and training course, and related efforts sponsored by other federal agencies and non-profits and other stakeholder groups.